Bromide, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bromide, Oklahoma
Town
Location of Bromide, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Counties	Johnston, Coal
Area
• Total	0.67 sq mi (1.74 km2)
• Land	0.67 sq mi (1.74 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	692 ft (211 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	123
• Density	182.76/sq mi (70.54/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74530
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-09150
GNIS feature ID	2411731

Bromide is a small town in Oklahoma, located in both Coal and Johnston counties. In 2020, about 123 people lived there. The town got its unique name from the special mineral springs found nearby. These springs had a lot of "bromide" in their water. People also hoped to find valuable limestone and manganese here, but these plans didn't really grow into big industries.

History of Bromide

How Bromide Got Its Start

Bromide was founded by Judge William H. Jackson. He used to be in charge of the Wapanucka Academy nearby. Judge Jackson saw the area near several mineral springs as a great spot for tourists.

The community had a few different names before it became Bromide. First, it was called "Juanita" from 1905 to 1906. Then, it changed to "Zenobia" from 1906 to 1907. Finally, it was named "Bromide" and officially became a town in July 1908. Juanita and Zenobia were actually the names of two of Judge Jackson's daughters! The name "Bromide" was chosen because the mineral water had a lot of bromine in it.

Native American Connection to the Springs

Before Oklahoma became a state, the town area was part of the Chickasaw Nation. Native Americans already knew about the mineral springs in the area. The Chickasaws called these springs Oka-Alichi (which means Medicine Water) or Hopi Kuli (Salt Springs). They believed the waters had special healing powers. They thought the water could help with problems like rheumatism, stomach issues, kidney and bladder problems, and even skin conditions.

Early Industries and Tourism

The first big business in Bromide was a limestone quarry. This quarry was started by Robert Galbreath Jr., a businessman from Tulsa. Limestone became very important around 1911. That's when the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf (MO&G) Railway built a special train track into Bromide. A factory was built just outside the town to crush the rocks.

Robert Galbreath even built a three-story hotel using rocks from the quarry. The railway company, which later became the Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf (KO&G), promoted Bromide as "the best health resort in the southwestern states." They even ran weekly trips to the town. To support the growing number of tourists, three more hotels, a bathhouse, and a swimming pool were added. By 1920, the town's population grew to 520 people.

Decline of Tourism and Mining Hopes

However, the Great Depression in the 1930s caused tourism to stop. Many people lost their jobs and couldn't afford to travel. Because of this, Bromide's population started to shrink. It fell to 352 people in 1930, 258 in 1950, and only 180 by 1980. The KO&G railway stopped its service to Bromide in 1950.

Another idea for economic growth was manganese ore. This special metal was found near Bromide in 1890. A report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said there wasn't a lot of high-quality manganese. But during World War I, steel companies started accepting lower-quality ores. Robert Galbreath thought this could be a good investment. However, the Great Depression also ended these plans for manganese mining.

The old Wapanucka Academy site, which is nearby, is a historic place. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Bromide is located in the northeastern part of Johnston County and the southwestern part of Coal County. Most of the town is actually in Johnston County.

The town is about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Wapanucka by road. It is also about 21 miles (34 km) northeast of Tishomingo, which is the main town for Johnston County. Bromide is the same distance southwest of Coalgate, the main town for Coal County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bromide covers an area of about 0.67 square miles (1.74 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 163 people living in Bromide. These people lived in 63 households, and 43 of those were families. The population density was about 243 people per square mile.

About 71% of the people identified as White. Around 15% were Native American. About 6% were from other races, and nearly 9% were from two or more races. About 5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About one-third of the households had children under 18 living with them. More than half of the households were married couples. The average household had about 2.59 people. The average family had about 3.18 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 31% were under 18 years old. About 6% were between 18 and 24. Around 28% were between 25 and 44. About 18% were between 45 and 64. And 16% were 65 years or older. The average age in town was 36 years.

Notable Person

Overton James was born in Bromide on July 21, 1925. He later became the governor of the Chickasaw Nation in 1963.

See also

In Spanish: Bromide (Oklahoma) para niños